When We Were Young
by Eulene
Summary: This records the ideals and days the characters of Detective Conan lived by during their youth. There's an optimistic and sweet romantic innocence about youth that generally fades with time...or not?


Disclaimer: Anything you recognise here belongs to Gosho Aoyama's Detective Conan.

When We Were Young

Eulene

Chapter 1

Mouri Kogoro

* * *

I was only twelve then when I had decided on my ambition – to be a police officer. After that incident, I had made a silent vow to protect those I loved and keep them safe from the scum of the society. I made this little speech to the one who had been my source of motivation and she laughed at my determination.

We were only twelve then. But I would never let her come so close to death anymore. That one time, in the bank when she had been snatched away from next to me by the armed robbers to be held as hostage… I thought I would have lost her just then and there. She was my childhood friend. I had known her since… I just can't remember a day without her. We played together; we went to school together… The police officers saved her after taking down the robbers.

It was that day that I had made her that promise.

* * *

We were in our twenties some time later. How time flies…and in those days, we were in the prime of our youth. You were studying law, determined to set a name for yourself, determined to earn loads of money. You never said anything more about it but I knew there was surely a reason behind your drive, something more than just mere money.

I graduated from the police academy soon after. You were working as an intern in a prestigious law firm then. During the interview – that is one of the tests, we had to go into a room individually and undergo an interrogation by a board of officers. I still remember the question now – why do you want to be a police officer?

I wonder how I must have appeared to them, a fresh graduate, still in the shelter of my cloistered life, having no experience of the real world… I had replied straight away, "I made a promise . There are people I want to protect."

Some of them had started laughing. I wondered why. Then finally the head of the board had said to me, "Nothing less than what I would have expected from a youth like you. But the determination in your eyes says something else entirely. Make sure you do make good your word. Welcome to the Police Force Mouri Kogoro."

I had lied. It wasn't just anyone that I wanted to protect. It was only and always you.

And that was my promise to you.

* * *

The day I had passed the interview was a memorable one. I proposed to you that night. In that restaurant, at the table by the window overlooking the river that sparkled under the pale silvery moonlight, in all the sweet romance of our youth, you agreed. It must have been the happiest day of my life.

Then on the wedding day, when we exchanged our vows, you looked so sweet and beautiful in your wedding down. All dressed in white, you looked like an angel. I made another vow then, to never let you go, to never let you down. You are mine. And I thought again, this must be the happiest day of my life.

I won the honors as the top marksman every year. And every year I thought to myself it was another one of the "happiest days". But when we had Ran, the day in the hospital when you gave to me this sweet little baby who was the fruit of our love, her little smile was like a blossoming flower. We called her "Ran" – naming her after your favourite flower.

* * *

Adulthood wasn't easy. We were practically begging to grow up when we were young, wanting the power the adults had to protect those we loved. Or at least I did. I thought that was how it was. That year when we were twelve, I had understood – I was too weak as a child to do anything for you. It's not going to be the same anymore; I'll grow up, grow stronger and keep you safe always. I knew you wanted to the same as well, that's why you chose to be a lawyer, to defend those who have been wrongly accused, to right the wrongs that have caused such pain. Maybe just that one wrong that had led to your cousin's imprisonment during which he had chosen to end his life.

You never believed he had committed the crime because you had respected him very much. We did our own investigation. The night you came home, looking all pale and stricken, collapsing onto the couch without a word, I knew. Your cousin had indeed let you down.

It wasn't the first of the disappointments to come though. You had no choice in your work. Having to defend criminals who were indeed guilty and emerging victorious rendered you no triumph. Those were the days we sat silently at home, sometimes quarrelling…you always ended up crying as though helpless.

I wanted more than ever to protect you.

But there was nothing I could do.

* * *

Murakami's case - I had shot you in the leg.

You were held hostage once more and the feeling of déjà vu that swept over me seemed to re-enact the scene that had taken place when we were twelve. I'm no longer twelve. I'm a police officer now, the top marksman. I would make good my vow to protect you Eri.

I shot you in the leg.

You understood didn't you?

I did it to protect you.

* * *

You left the night after though. I didn't blame you. You didn't blame me. You knew why I had to do it under those circumstances… Or maybe you did blame me that was why you left. A small quarrel that had led to a heated argument and soon you were packing.

I left the police force soon after. There was no purpose in staying anymore. I had failed to keep my promise, to make good my word.

Setting up my own detective agency was just a way of earning my keep to survive.

* * *

Adulthood was nothing but bitter disappointment. It was the falling short of ideals, the learning of our own limitations and the realization of the futility of our childish promises. It was the harsh lesson of reality that we had to face simply because we are no longer young.

The day when I had almost lost my life to a criminal on a case, Ran had said, "Dad, I want to learn karate!"

"Whatever for? You're a girl; you shouldn't be learning such boyish things!"

"I want to protect you!"

There was no mistaking that familiar glint of determination in the eyes of my little child.

* * *

A/N: Hello! Hoped you like this. Haha even though Kogoro is always portrayed to be somewhat of an idiot who yearns for nothing but booze and pretty women, there is a deeper side to him – especially so during some of the DC movies. The part about Murakami's case was during "The Fourteenth Target". Kogoro had shot Eri because an injured hostage was nothing but a burden of weight to the captor. She had left the night after because he complained about her lousy cooking even though she was injured haha. But that's Kogoro huh x.x Please leave a review! Thank you!


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